2003 SATURN VUE Complaints

2003 SATURN VUE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE TRANSMISSION ISSUES *TGW IN MARCH OF 2004, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SATURN STATING THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH VTI TRANSMISSIONS AND IT WOULD REQUIRE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT THAT TIME BY SATURN. HOWEVER, SINCE THEN THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES. GM INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY WOULD CHARGE HIM HALF FOR REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, THE LINK BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, A BOLT BROKE OFF THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL CAUSING THE SUB FRAME TO CRACK AND THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND THE SUB FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO SECOND GEAR AND WOULD NOT SHIFT TO THE OTHER GEARS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION ALSO SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AS WELL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TWO PRIOR TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS. THE DEALER ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

WHILE RETURNING ON A TRIP AND USING THE TURN SIGNAL NORMALLY, THERE WERE SEVERAL INCIDENTS IN WHICH THE TURN SIGNAL SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS WORKING AT ABOUT TWICE THE NORMAL RATE, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE TURN LIGHTS WERE COMING ON. ON ONE PARTICULAR INSTANCE, WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE TURN SIGNAL GOT EXTREMELY WARM TO THE TOUCH AND SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE SWITCH. THERE WERE SEVERAL SUBSEQUENT INCIDENTS DURING THIS TRIP AND ON SUBSEQUENT DAYS, BUT ONLY THE ONE IN WHICH THE SWITCH ACTUALLY SMOKED (WHICH IS WHY I INDICATED A FIRE ABOVE). WHEN I CALLED SATURN (GM DEALERSHIP) ABOUT THIS, THEY MENTIONED THAT A SIMILAR SWITCH WAS UNDER RECALL, BUT NOT THIS ONE. AFTER HAVING REPLACED THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, I HAD ASKED IF SATURN WANTED THE DEFECTIVE UNIT. SURPRISINGLY, SATURN DIDN'T SEEM TOO CONCERNED AND ASKED ME TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP, IN TURN, TOLD ME THAT ALL THEY COULD DETERMINE IS THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SWITCH AND TO CONTACT SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE. I AM QUITE CERTAIN THAT IF WE HADN'T CORRECTED THE ISSUE (WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO DESCRIBE) THAT A MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION COULD'VE BEEN CAUSED, AND THAT THIS SWITCH DESIGN IS FAULTY AND MAY POSE A SAFETY (THERMAL) CONCERN. I HAVE KEPT THE OLD SWITCH AND WILL GLADLY PROVIDE IT TO NHTSA IF REQUESTED TO DO SO. I DIDN'T FEEL IT SAFE TO KEEP USING THE OLD SWITCH, AND WHILE THE COST WAS RATHER MINIMAL TO HAVE IT REPLACED, I'M SURPRISED THAT SATURN DIDN'T OFFER TO REIMBURSE ME AND AS I STATED PREVIOUSLY, DIDN'T REQUEST THE FAULTY PART TO BE RETURNED. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY SIMILAR INCIDENTS SINCE REPLACING THE SWITCH, WHICH CERTAINLY CORRECTED IT. THE PART NUMBER LISTED ON THE OLD SWITCH IS SHOWN AS BEING AR339790736/22679804. IN ORDER TO NOT CAUSE THE SWITCH TO GO INTO THE MODE DESCRIBED ABOVE, IT WAS BEST TO NOT USE THE TURN SIGNAL ANY MORE THAN POSSIBLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

I WAS REAR ENDED ON MARCH 19TH IN SPRINGDALE ARKANSAS. I WAS PARKED AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN A CAR REAR ENDED ME. THE DRIVER DID NOT HAVE INSURANCE AND HIS NAME WAS [XXX] ADDRESS ON THE ACCIDENT REPORT WAS[XXX]. THE VEHICLE WAS A MITSUBISHI MIRAGE LICENSE PLATE 551 RKZ AND DRIVERS LICENSE NUMBER [XXX]. THE OFFICERS NAME WAS [XXX]. I RECEIVED THE LETTER FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY PROGRESSIVE STATING THAT HE DID NOT HAVE INSURANCE. THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT ON THE WAY HOME MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT AND SEVERAL OTHER LIGHTS FLASHED. THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND BLACK SMOKE CAME POURING OUT AND EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN. I HAVE SINCE NOTICED THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SAME THING BUT WAS TOLD IT IS NOT FOR MY SPECIFIC VIN NUMBER. I AM ARGUING WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR THE ENGINE PART WHICH THEY SAID WAS NOT DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. I THINK THE IMPACT FROM THE WRECK KNOCKED THE OIL FILLER CAP OFF BECAUSE WHEN THE GEICO ADJUSTERS HAD THE CAR THEY COULD NOT FIND IT. I FOUND THE OIL FILLER CAP DOWN IN THE FRONT BETWEEN THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE AND FRONT OF THE CAR. OIL WAS ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND SEIZED FROM WHAT THE GEICO ADJUSTERS SAID. I AM PLACING A COMPLAINT WITH THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER ON GEICO FOR NOT PICKING ME UP FOR ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE, TAKING TO LONG TO REPAIR THE BUMPER, NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY ARE DOING TAKING SO LONG TO BE ABLE TO REPAIR THE CAR. THEY TRIED CHARGING ME A $500 DEDUCTIBLE WHEN I HAD UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED MOTORISTS AND SEVERAL OTHER ISSUES WITH THEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE COULD ONLY BE DRIVEN IN FIRST OR SECOND GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT HE NEEDED THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WOULD POSSIBLY REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE BACK FROM THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 109,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SLIGHTLY HESITATE BEFORE ACCELERATING. SHORTLY AFTER, THE CONTACT NOTICED A WARNING LIGHT DISPLAYING REDUCED ENGINE POWER. THE CONTACT BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR SERVICED FOR THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 87,000.

PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2010 WITH 85000 MILES ON IT, ONE WEEK AFTER BUYING THE VEHICLE THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WENT OUT. AROUND SIX MONTHS LATER THE COIL PACK WENT OUT, TWO MONTHS AFTER THAT THE FRONT BEARINGS WENT OUT. AT ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS THE TUMBLER IN THE IGNITION WENT OUT. AT ABOUT NINE MONTHS THE THERMOSTAT WENT OUT. WE NOW ARE BEING TOLD THAT THE RACK AND PINION AND TRANSMISSION ARE BAD AT 116000 MILES AND LESS THAN 18 MONTHS SINCE OUR PURCHASE DATE. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES HAVING THESE SORT OF ISSUES. I ALSO HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE MAKER OF THE VEHICLE IN WHICH WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF. I FEEL THAT THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND IT SEEMS QUITE RARE THAT ONE WOULD HAVE SO MANY ISSUES WITH A VEHICLE IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 136,000.